Apparatus for gasifying oil



New. 5, 1929. SQHWARZ APPARATUS FOR GASIFYING OIL Filed March 29, 1927 INVENTOR Wred Skzaam} ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 5, 1929 ALFRED SGH'WABZ, F MQNTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY nrrmros For. ensmvme on.

Application -tiled March 29, 1927. Serial No. 179,287.

My invention relates to apparatus for gasifymg oil and more particularly has reference to such apparatus wherein carbon depositidn is obviated or reduced to a minimum.

In my companion application N 0'. 159,093, filed January 5, 1927, .l have disclosed a process and apparatus for effecting the distillation of oil and for converting intb gas the residue resulting therefrom. The present invention is directed to a specifie formof apparatus employed in such process to obtain as near as possible, perfect gasificatiou of the residual oil. 1..

In the gasification of oil, particularly in the case of heavy oil, steam temperatures as high as 1400 F. are employed and as a result ex- .cessive amounts of carbon are usually formed which soon coat the heating apparatus, making further operation impossible, unless this an excessive carbon is in someway taken care of. It is common practice to atomize oil by means of steam, the resultant carbon, when the proper temperatures are' reached, combining with the oxygen which results from the decomposition of the steam thereby forming carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and many other gases, particularly those of the fatty acid series. w

Irrespective of the nature or composition 0 of the ultimate gas, it is necessary to make available at the moment of decomposltlon of the ,oil, oxygen in a nascent state for immediate combination with the carbon. If no oxygen is present in a nascent condition, excess carbon is deposited on the walls of the heating Rceptacle and the heat conductivity thereof is greatly impaired. Such carbon is usually deposited in more or less homogeneous form and I have found that higher ta 1- peratures are required to convert this carbon into gases. Presumably steam does not penetrate the carbon in homogeneous form 'until it'is sufficiently heated to become loose in structure." It is therefore of utmost importance' that the oil be very finely'atomized and that the steam employedfor atomization be hot enough to react therewith. I

g It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a device fort asification of oil wherein oil is finely atomized by means of stmlafa decomposing perature wherein I deposition of carbon on the walls of the apparatus is obviated.

According to my invention the oil is atomized and gasilied by direct contact with superheated steam, the atomizing device being of such construction that carbon is not given an opportunity to deposit upon heated walls. E

in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, the single view-represents a vertical section through my im-.

proved atomizer or gasifying device.

111 the drawing, A indicates generally an 'outer casing having oil inlet 1 leading to oil chamber l.- A duct 2 controlled by a needle valve 3 conducts oil from chamber l to'the R9111; of atomization. The needle valve 3 is adjusted for proper oil flow by means of handie 3. In the casing is formed superheated steam inlet 4 leading to steam chamber 5 formed between the nozzle 6 and theinnr wall 6. The nozzle (5 is vertically adjustable by reason of its threaded engagement with the interior portions of the casing as shown. Leading from the steam chamber 5 and nozzle 6 is a Venturi tube 7 for flow of the atomized oil and steam.- Within the casing and surrounding-the atomizer and the Vent-uri" tube 7 is a compartment or jacket 8 having an inlet 9 for the introduction of any suitable cooling fluid such as saturated steam or even water. The term-cooling is merely a relative one as compared to the high temperatures of the steam introduced at inlet 4 foratomization of the oil. The cooling fluid is discharged from the casing through outlet 10. Formed within the nozzle and surrounding the oil duct 2 is an annular chamber 11 communicating with" jacket 8 through the In operation the nozzle'fi is first adjusted so as to pass into the throat of the Venturi tube 7 a given amount'of steam per unit of time, say for example, 150 pounds perhour. Oil Heated to a temperature of about 7 00 F. is introduced'through inlet 1, preferably under pressure, tooil chamber 1,- the flow of oil from chamber 1 through duct 2 being reg-,

ulated by the needle valve 3. Steam superheated to a temperature of 1400 F. or higher a prior to its introduction thereinto in order and under considerable pressure,.for example 100 pounds per square inch, is introduced through inlet 4 to the steam chamber 5, filling said chamber at the pressure stated. It is essential that the steam enter chamber 5 under full pressure and should not be throttled to obtain maximum'velocity when the oil and steam are mixed in the throat of Venturi tube 7, thus insuring maximum mechanical force for the atomization of theoil. The oil should not be excessively heated prior to its atomization for otherwise carbon deposition will occur. .From the drawing it will be seen that the nozzle 6 serves as a control valve for the steam chamber 5 wherebythe flow of steam into the Venturi tube may be regulated.

Superheated steam issuing from chamber 5 efl'ects a very fine atomization of the oil passingthrough duct 2, the oil bein substantially gasified by reason of the big temperature steam. The gaseous mixture is projected through Venturi tube 7 tor. further treatment, such as scrubbing,purification, etc., and collection,

Under oiydin'ary conditions, the heated mixture, by contact with the walls of the atomizer would necessarily heat such walls to a temperature in the neighborhood of the superheated steam temperature, for example to'.

about at least 1000 F. At such tem eratures the oil would Carbonize, producing eavy deposits of carbon which would soon clog up the apparatus- In the present device, however, a cooling medium such asrsaturated steam, hot water, etc., is; circulated through the jacket :8 surrounding the atomizer and Venturi tube thus maintaining the heated walls at a temperature'below that at which carbonization thereon would 'occur.- As pointed out above, the cooling is only relative and need not be ver essential to 001 to be ow a carbonizing temperature. iThe cooling medium also circulgtes from acket 8 into and through-the ann lar chamber 11 by way of ports 12 thereby preventing-the heated oil from carbonizing hot oil and superheated steam are constantly maintained at a temperature below that at which carbonization would occur;

The invention is by no means limited to the particular construction shown and described but is capable of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit great, it being 'onlyv g and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what. I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: 1 i

1. An apparatus for gasifying oil compris ing a casing, an atomizer Within said casin means for supplying oil and steam to sai atomizer, a tube formed by said casing and communicating with said atomizer for discharging .atomized oiland steam, a jacket in said casing surrounding said atomizer and tube, and in heat-exchanging relationship therewith, and means for introducing a cooling medium to said jacket.

- 2.-An apparatus for gasifying oil; comprising a casing, an oil chamber within said casing, a nozzle-in said casing having an oil duct in communication with said chamber, a I

steam chamber in said. casing surrounding a; portion of said nozzle, a Venturl tube within'said casing leading from said steam cham- I her and duct for discharging atomized oil and steam, a jacket in said casing surrounding said Venturi tube, andin heat-exchanging relationship therewith, and means for introducing a cooling medium to said acket.

3. An apparatus for gasifying oil, compris- I ing, a casing, an adjustable nozzle in said casing, a duct 1n said nozzle, means for feeding oil to said duct, a Venturi tube in said casing for discharging atomized oil from said nozzle, a steam chamber in said casing surrounding a portion of said nozzle, said adj ustable nozzle forming a control valve for the steamcham'ber with the restricted portion of said Venturi tube, a jacket in said casing surrounding said Venturi tube, and in heat-exchanging relationship therewith, and means for introducing a cooling medium to said jacket.

4. An apparatus for gasifyingxoil, comprisinga casing, an oil chamber within said casing, a nozzle in said casing having-a valve controlled oil duct extending centrally therethrough, said duct communicating with said oil chamber, an annular chamber in said nozzle surrounding said duct, a steam chamber in said casing surrounding a portion of said nozzle, a Venturi tube in said casing leading from said steam chamber and duct for discharging atomized oil and steam, a jacket in said casin tube and in i therewith, and means for introducing a coolber.- r

5. An apparatus 'for gasifying oil,.com-

prising a casing, an oil chamber in said .cas-

,an adjustable nozzle in said casing, a. valve controlled oil duct extending centrally surrounding said Venturi eat-exchanging relationship" ing medium to said jacket and annular cham- 4 iz ed oil, a steam chamber in said casing enclosing a portion of said nozzle, said adjustable nozzle forming a control valve for said steam chamber with the restricted portion of said Venturi tube, a jacket in said oasing surrounding said Venturi tube, and in heat-exchanging relationship therewith communicating ports between said jacket and annular chamber, and means for introducing a cooling medium to said jacket.

In testimony whereof I aflix in Si nature.

' ALFRED G. SC ARZ. 

